by K. B. Wagers
Fasé went silent for a long moment, staring down at her lap as she collected her thoughts. “We almost lost you. I did not see this. I don’t know if Sybil did, or Mia, but I didn’t. Had Emmory not—”
“Been himself?” I finished with a half smile and a glance at his back. I knew he was listening.
“Things are shifting too fast to see. Sybil warned me this might happen. The closer we get to the blank spot, the more things will be in flux. The choices that are made not only by you but by others will have impacts like boulders thrown into a stream.
“Whatever my disagreements with the Pedalion, there is a reason the Council of Eyes don’t share the futures they see with the general public. There is a reason that even the futures they do share are heavily filtered and carefully worded.” She looked me in the eyes as she reached for my hands.
“What we see isn’t clear; it’s still filtered through our perceptions. Through our own fears and knowledge. We must be careful with what we share and how.” She smiled; it was the first genuine smile I’d seen from her since before Earth. “Here is where I disagree with Sybil, because I do think we need to share. I think there are things you need to know.”
“You just think you should control them, rather than letting me decide for myself what’s important.”
She released me and leaned back in her chair with a sigh. “I suppose I should be grateful you are so uncompromising.”
“You sure you don’t mean aggravating?”
“Possibly.” Fasé laughed, the sound ringing out into the air. She tapped a hand on the desktop as her mirth subsided. “You’re not wrong, Hail. Though I have since learned there is no controlling the Star of Indrana. You do what you want, what you feel is right, regardless of what the rest of us think.”
“That’s not entirely true,” I murmured. “I do occasionally listen.”
“The point here,” Fasé replied with a sharp grin, “is that you need to realize that what you have seen—what Mia has shown you—is filtered not only through her perception of the future but through your own, Hail. Your fears. Your concerns. That’s why you see Indrana when you see what’s in ruins and not some random town on some Solarian planet.
“It is the same with Mia. It is the same with me. It is even the same with Sybil. When she was separated from the world it was a cleaner vision, but now that she’s out and interacting with you? Things change, there’s no way around it. It’s important you recognize this. It’s important because there’s no other way for you to handle what I show you, what you will see when we reach Faria. You have to know this so you can truly make decisions without being influenced by not only your fears but the fears of those around you.”
“I’m up to here with ominous shit, Fasé, no lie.” I held my hand above my head. “I’m just trying to keep all of you safe; beyond that?” I sighed and gave a weary shrug. “I don’t know. Emmory’s right. I’m not the savior of the universe, the Star of Indrana, whatever. I’m just me.”
“I know.” She smiled, getting to her feet and crossing the room. “I see you clinging to hope, though, when it is all so close to despair.” Fasé reached up and touched my cheek. “You lost it once, never again. I know your concerns about fighting. I know you’re unsure this is the best road to take. How can I help?”
My exhale was short and sharp as relief flooded through me. There wasn’t a word for the absence this break with Fasé had created in me, and I didn’t even know how to explain how it felt now except that a yawning void in my battered heart had just sealed itself up as easily as Mia healing a cut without leaving so much as a scar.
“Fasé, tell me if you think I am right that there has to be a better way than more death, isn’t there?”
Fasé was silent for so long I thought I wasn’t going to get an answer, but then she sighed. “I don’t want to tell you.”
“Please.”
Emmory had turned in the doorway and was watching us closely. Fasé sighed again, tugged on a red curl, and then looked up at me. Her golden eyes glowed with a sudden light.
“You will have to make a choice, Star of Indrana. I can’t tell you exactly what the choice is, only that it will not be what you think. You cannot let this paralyze you with fear of making the wrong choice, because there is no wrong choice. People will die, that is the way of things. You hold the fate of the galaxy in the balance. Do not disrupt it.”
“Fasé?”
She slumped forward and I lunged out of my chair to catch her before she fell. Emmory moved at the same moment and helped me put her back upright.
“You with us?” I asked when her eyes fluttered open.
“I was—” She broke off and rubbed her eyes. “Yes, I’m all right. That was draining.”
I smiled and pressed my hand to her cheek for a moment before I got to my feet. “I need you to do something for me, Fasé.”
“Anything.”
“Back me up. No matter what. Against Sybil or Hao or anyone. You back me. Things can go sideways on Faria really quickly, we all know it. I need to know that you trust me enough to make the right decisions.” I dragged in a breath, let it out as the rushing sound of the stars spinning through the universe filled my ears. “I know I haven’t been—”
“I trust you, and I’ll be there when you need me.” She got up and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I returned it, pressing my cheek to the top of her head and exhaling as a great weight lifted off my shoulders for the first time since I’d woken up on the floor of my ship so very long ago.
News of Hamah’s attack spread like a shipboard fire and by the next morning two ships had bolted and Aiz had performed that horrifying ritual a handful more times. My people and Fasé’s understood the gravity of it without having to be told, and I decided we’d stay at the base until things had settled down.
“Another day, maybe two,” I said to Inana as we headed down the corridor toward the war room.
“Do you think the Farians know we’re coming?”
“I do.” I sighed. “If the news hasn’t gotten out that they’ve got a mass of Shen ships less than fifteen thousand light-years from their home planet, then Adora will figure it out when she gets my letter this morning.”
“You’re being very sanguine about the fact that someone almost slit your throat yesterday evening, Majesty.”
“Would you believe it’s not the worst thing that’s happened to me in the last six months?” I laughed at her frown. “Well, at the time I was concerned, but it’s over.” I nodded in greeting to the Shen we passed. “And I think Aiz and Mia have things in hand. We were expecting something. Not quite to that level, I grant you, but that’s been an issue for them since I arrived on Sparkos.”
“They certainly have a way of dealing with dissenters,” Inana murmured.
I thought of watching my cousin fight for her last breaths during her execution. “Not all that different from ours.”
“True. Good morning, Alba, Dailun.”
My chamberlain and pilot were standing at the doorway of the war room, shoulders touching, fingers just a hairsbreadth from being intertwined, and I raised a curious eyebrow. Alba had been working with Dailun on gathering as much intel about the Hiervet as they could over the last several weeks. We were all hoping it was information we wouldn’t need.
“Majesty, Admiral.” Alba smiled. “It’s good to see you, ma’am.”
“Good morning, jiejie.” Dailun leaned in and touched his cheek to mine. “May I speak with you in private?”
I caught Alba’s eye as I pulled away and on cue, she gestured at the door. “Admiral, Mia is already here if you wanted to join her. There will be some adjustments to make with the loss of the two ships from last night.”
Slipping my arm through Dailun’s, I walked us farther down the corridor to an empty office and leaned against the desk. Dailun shoved a hand into his pink hair and I marveled for a moment how much this young man had grown up in front of my eyes since the first time I met him on the bridge of
Hao’s ship.
“I have found more information in my hunting. Alba has been an invaluable help. Jiejie,” he sighed. “Do not.”
“What?” I couldn’t stop the grin I’d tried to muffle before.
“You look exactly like Hao when you do that.”
“Odd considering we’re not actually related.”
“I know, but the facial expressions.” He waved his hand in front of his face and rolled his eyes. “We are getting off track, which is exactly what I didn’t want.”
“I like that you’re happy,” I said. “That’s all.”
He smiled. “Information.”
“Right. Focus.” I rubbed my hands together as I leaned against the nearby desk.
“What I’m about to tell you I would ask you not share with anyone else. I know that is a strange request, but it was the only way I could obtain permission to share it with you in the first place.”
“Now you have my attention, and my promise.” I smiled and gestured with one hand. “Go on.”
“When the Svatir laid down their arms and walked away from war, we did so willingly. Our weapons were destroyed, the designs erased; our warriors turned their lives away from war. This is the memory that is carried by all Svatir.” He took a deep breath. “It is a memory that is not entirely true.”
I kept my mouth shut through sheer force of will.
“The Istrevitel were the best of us. The elite warriors in a race of warriors. After we defeated the Hiervet, our leaders decided to lay down their weapons, and they also decided that the Istrevitel would vanish from our memory.”
“Why?”
“So the Istrevitel could stay vigilant for threats. And the rest of us could walk away from war.” Dailun’s smile flickered. “They were all too aware of the dangers and while they wanted our people to know peace, they were also willing to sacrifice some of us to prepare for an unknown war.”
“You’re angry about this?”
“Of course I’m angry,” he snapped, and then lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I pushed away from the desk and wrapped my arms around him. “I get it. Do you know why they chose to do this?”
“Fear?” Dailun sighed and shrugged, dragging his hands through his hair again after he stepped away from me. “Justified or not, what else drives people to break the oaths they made to step away from war forever?”
“What does this mean for us?” I asked. “I can’t tell anyone about their existence. It doesn’t seem like it’s changed things.”
“I suspect the Istrevitel will reveal themselves when, or if, it is necessary. I received a message from someone shortly after the memories were given to me. It only said: We will speak with the Star if the time comes. Pray it does not.”
I let that spin around in my brain for a breath or two. The meaning was clear enough given everything else we’d been dealing with. If the Hiervet came, we would need all the help we could get, and I sure as shit wasn’t turning down some mysterious force of Svatir who’d beaten the pants off them the first time around.
“Well.” I blew out a breath. “That’s something. I’m not quite sure what, Dailun, but I guess let’s all hope we don’t ever talk to them.”
“I cannot lie, sister. Part of me would love to see these legends, but I agree with you.” He cleared his throat. “The other thing I have for you is something that can be shared with the others. I found a curious memory that happened at the end of the war. A Svatir officer questioning some Hiervet prisoners who were apparently part of a crew attempting to round up deserters.” He held his hand out. “It is a violent memory, but I can show it to you if you wish.”
I took his hand.
The screams echoed around the room, stopping only to devolve into sobs between one heartbeat and the next.
“The war is over. Your people were supposed to retreat. Tell me why you are still here.” The speaker had the familiar silver-chased eyes of a Svatir, their sharply angled face and dark skin standing out in the harsh light of the interrogation room.
“We—we are looking for someone.” The pale blond hair of the Hiervet on the table was soaked with blood. “Deserters. Please. They are criminals. You have to let me go.”
“I don’t have to do anything. You’re in violation of the treaty.”
“You don’t understand—” The Hiervet broke off with another scream.
“If there are still Hiervet in our sector. I will find them and they will meet the same fate as you.”
I gasped and doubled over, feeling Dailun’s hands on my sides as he helped me over to the chair.
“I am sorry for that, sister. I know it was horrible.”
“It was certainly intense.” I rubbed the back of my hand over my mouth, swallowing down the bile because there was nowhere to spit it. “How could I understand them?”
“I tweaked the memory so it was all in Indranan.” He smiled. “It would have been far too cumbersome for me to translate the whole thing while you watched so it was easier to do it beforehand.”
“So there were still Hiervet in the galaxy after the war?”
“Not long after, and that’s the only recorded incident I could find.” Dailun shook his head. “I don’t know if it means anything or not, but I thought it was worth bringing to your attention.”
“I appreciate it.” Taking a deep breath, I stood, smiling when Dailun reached a hand out to steady me. “I’m assuming Alba has this in the file with all the other things you two have collected?”
“Yes.”
“Good work.” I patted him on the shoulder as the ping of an incoming message went off in my head. “Oh, it’s Adora, this should be good.”
Dailun grinned. “I’ll let you take this one in private, jiejie. That’s beyond my pay grade.”
“You’re getting paid?” I teased, and he laughed as he left me alone in the room.
36
Good morning, Itegas Notaras,” I said when I answered the com link. My polite, practiced empress smile was on my face, and it seemed to confuse her for a moment before she dipped her head to me.
“Your Majesty—”
“Given the circumstances, Star of Indrana is probably a more appropriate title.” I smiled. “I think it’s a bit pretentious, but I’m not the one who chose it.”
“Star of Indrana, then.” Adora dipped her head a second time. “We are very glad you are safe. Where are you?”
“Somewhere.” I glanced sideways and shrugged. “We’ll be on our way to you soon.”
Adora couldn’t quite keep her eyes from starting to narrow in disbelief, even though she corrected it and dipped her head again in agreement. “Of course. I received your letter. We would be more than delighted to receive you. You must be exhausted after your ordeal.”
Aiz appeared in the doorway. Without looking away from the screen, I slipped my left hand out of my pocket and waved it at him out of the camera’s view. He stopped, the curious frown melting into realization at my next words.
“I am, Adora, and I’m looking forward to wrapping this up.”
“Yes, the negotiations.” Her face twisted as if the word were unpleasant in her mouth. “That did not go so well on Earth.”
“It didn’t, did it?” The smile I let slip was cold, deliberate, and Adora shifted away despite the fact that I wasn’t physically near her. I desperately wanted to spit out the accusation about her involvement with Jamison, but I stayed silent. As Hao had said, we had no real proof and I didn’t want to give her any time to concoct a story to cover her ass. “These things happen and despite our brief recess I’m ready to get back to work.”
“You’re serious.” Adora’s voice squeaked a little and I had to fight to keep my composure.
“Of course I’m serious. We’re talking about a conflict that has killed far too many people, Adora, my own included. It’s time to end it.”
“But the Cevallas kidnapped you. They blew up your embassy! It was a miracle no one was hurt.”
<
br /> “It was because of Fasé no one was hurt,” I replied. “And in light of other events I have forgiven the Cevallas for their actions on Earth.”
“They blew up—”
“They did not.” I let her chew on that one without any further explanation. “Adora, I am at the end of my patience with a fleet of ships capable of doing a lot more damage than shooting a chandelier out of a ceiling. If the Pedalion will not agree to these negotiations and let us land on Faria, I will not hesitate to bring those ships to bear on your planet.”
“You would not.”
I stared at her. “You are welcome to see if I am bluffing.”
There was a long silence.
“I—I am afraid I have underestimated you again.” Adora had somehow gone even paler than normal for a Farian when she finally spoke. “Very well. Your ship will be cleared to land and I promise no harm will come to anyone you choose to bring with you for as long as the negotiations are proceeding.”
“Excellent.” I smiled. “I’d recommend warning your fleet admirals about what’s coming. The bulk of my fleet will stay back from your planet, but if someone gets nervous and starts shooting it wouldn’t be a very good day for any of us, would it?”
“Of course.” Adora disconnected, but not before I saw the troubled frown slip over her face.
I chuckled. Aiz raised an eyebrow. “Mia said you were with Dailun.”
“I was. He had some information for me.”
“What was all that?”
“Got us a clear path to Faria. For the Vajrayana, anyway.” I made a face. “Which means we’re all going to need to ride on the same ship. We’ll figure out who’s necessary and who can be shifted to another ship.”
“I’m starting to regret all the times I bounced your head off the wall. You threatened Adora with war if she didn’t agree to the negotiations. With your fleet?”
“The best part of that is she doesn’t know if I’m lying or not.” I grinned and winked at him. “Reputations are so fucking handy.”
“That was cold,” he replied. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d have believed you.”